# How Long Do HOS Violations Stay on Your Record?

Canonical page: https://fleetregulators.com/blog/how-long-do-hos-violations-stay-on-your-record

Author: Rhythm Gandhi | Published: 2026-07-05

It is one of the most common questions carriers ask, and the answer depends on which record you mean. Here is the plain version.

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In FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS), roadside HOS violations generally count toward your CSA BASIC percentiles for 24 months. More recent violations are weighted more heavily, and their weight drops as they age, until they fall off after 24 months. A conviction on the driver's motor vehicle record (MVR) is a separate matter and can follow the driver longer under state law.

This question has a short answer and a longer, more useful one. The short answer is 24 months for CSA. The longer answer is that "your record" is not one thing, and the timing works differently depending on which record you mean. Let me walk through it.

## How CSA and SMS count violations over time

FMCSA's Safety Measurement System uses roughly 24 months of roadside inspection data to calculate your CSA BASIC percentiles. An HOS violation from a roadside inspection generally counts during that 24-month window and then drops off. That is the number most carriers are asking about when they ask how long a violation "stays."

## "CSA points" is not how FMCSA actually scores you

Carriers say "CSA points" constantly, but FMCSA does not keep a running point total the way a state keeps points on a driver license. The Safety Measurement System (SMS) sorts your roadside inspection and violation data into the seven BASICs and expresses each one as a percentile, showing how you compare to similar carriers. A single HOS violation does not add a fixed number of points. It feeds a weighted percentile that also depends on your inspection volume and how recent the violation is. For the full breakdown of how the BASICs and percentiles work, see [FMCSA CSA scores explained](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/fmcsa-safety-scores-explained).

Different violation types affect your visibility differently, too. A routine HOS or logbook violation counts in the HOS BASIC. An out-of-service violation is generally weighted more heavily while it sits in the window, because it means the driver or vehicle was pulled from service. And the inspection itself matters: what the officer records is what feeds SMS, while clean inspections dilute your percentile over time. Our guide to [what DOT inspections reveal](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/dot-inspections-what-they-reveal) covers how those records get created, and [CSA score improvement](https://fleetregulators.com/csa-score-improvement) covers what to do about a rising pattern.

## Why recent violations hurt more

SMS weights violations by both severity and time. Generally, more recent violations carry more weight, and that weight decreases as the violation ages, until it drops out of the calculation after 24 months. This is why a clean stretch of inspections gradually pulls a score down: your older violations are losing weight while your recent record stays clean. The exact time-weighting is spelled out in the FMCSA SMS methodology, linked at the end.

## When violations drop off

Generally, once a roadside violation passes the 24-month mark, it no longer counts toward your SMS BASIC percentiles. It does not get "removed" in the sense of being erased from history, but it stops driving your current score. If you believe a violation was recorded incorrectly, you do not have to wait it out. You can challenge it through the FMCSA DataQs process, and a successful challenge can correct or remove it sooner.

## CSA is not the same as your driver's MVR

This is the part that trips carriers up. CSA/SMS is the carrier-level safety measurement. A driver's motor vehicle record (MVR) is separate and governed by state law, and a conviction on the MVR can stay for a period that varies by state and offense, often longer than the CSA window. Insurance underwriters and some brokers may look at both. So a violation can age off your CSA long before it ages off a driver's MVR. Do not assume the two clear at the same time.

## Where a Violation Shows Up, and How Long It Generally Matters

"How long does this stay on my record" depends on which record you are asking about. Here is the plain-English version:

| Issue | Where It May Show Up | How Long It May Matter | Why It Matters |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HOS/logbook violation (roadside) | FMCSA SMS, CSA HOS BASIC | Generally counted for about 24 months, with weight decreasing as it ages | Drives your carrier-level BASIC percentile and inspection targeting |
| Out-of-service violation | FMCSA SMS, same BASIC as the underlying violation type | Same general 24-month SMS window; OOS is a violation severity, not a separate clock | OOS violations are typically weighted more heavily while active in the window |
| CSA/SMS visibility (carrier level) | FMCSA Safety Measurement System | Generally about 24 months, time-weighted | Seen by FMCSA, and by brokers/insurers who pull safety data |
| Internal carrier record | Your own driver file / log audit history | As long as you choose to retain it internally | Useful for coaching patterns and defending against future disputes |
| Insurance or broker review | Underwriting file, broker safety screening | Varies by company; often looks at recent history, sometimes longer | Can affect premiums and which loads you are offered, independent of the CSA clock |

This table describes how FMCSA's SMS generally counts and weights violations. Insurance and broker review periods vary by company and are not set by FMCSA. If you are unsure how a specific violation is being treated, verify directly with FMCSA's SMS methodology, linked below.

## What you can do while violations age off

Waiting is not a strategy on its own. The two things that actually help are challenging incorrect violations through DataQs and accumulating clean inspections, because clean inspections are what dilute your percentile over time. A daily [log audit](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/driver-log-auditing-checklist-small-fleets) is how you stop new violations from landing while the old ones age out. For the broader score picture, see [CSA score improvement](https://fleetregulators.com/csa-score-improvement).

## How Fleet Regulators helps

We audit logs daily to stop new HOS violations from entering your record, file DataQs challenges on violations recorded in error, and document corrective action that holds up in a [DOT audit](https://fleetregulators.com/dot-audit-help). We do not promise a specific score change. We help you stop adding to the problem and give the clock a clean record to work with.

The Safety Gal's Take

Carriers ask me this hoping for a date they can circle on the calendar. Here is the honest version: the CSA clock is 24 months, but the driver's MVR runs on its own state timeline, and your insurer may look at both. So do not wait it out. Challenge what is wrong, keep the inspections clean, and let time do the rest while you stop adding new problems.

## Common Mistakes Carriers Make

- Assuming a CSA violation and an MVR conviction clear at the same time.

- Waiting out a violation you could have challenged through DataQs.

- Letting new violations land while old ones age off, so the score never moves.

- Expecting a violation to be "erased" rather than time-weighted down.

- Ignoring the driver-level record because you only watched the carrier score.

### Stop Adding to the Problem

Book a free compliance review. We will show you your recent HOS patterns, what is challengeable, and how to keep new violations off your record while the old ones age out.

[Book a Free Compliance Review →](https://fleetregulators.com/contact)

Related Service

### HOS & Log Auditing

Fleet Regulators audits logs daily, resolves unassigned driving, coaches repeat offenders, and fixes the dispatch habits that create violations.

[Get HOS Support →](https://fleetregulators.com/hours-of-service-compliance)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How long do HOS violations stay in CSA/SMS?**

Generally, roadside HOS violations count toward your CSA BASIC percentiles for 24 months in FMCSA's SMS. More recent violations weigh more heavily, and the weight decreases as they age until they drop off after 24 months.

**Do HOS violations ever fully disappear?**

For SMS purposes, a violation stops counting toward your current percentiles after about 24 months. It is not erased from inspection history, but it no longer drives your score. A successful DataQs challenge can correct or remove an incorrectly recorded violation sooner.

**Is a CSA violation the same as a conviction on my driver's record?**

No. CSA/SMS is the carrier-level safety measurement. A driver's motor vehicle record (MVR) is separate and governed by state law, and a conviction can stay on the MVR for a period that varies by state and offense, often longer than the CSA window.

**Can I remove an HOS violation?**

You can challenge a violation you believe was recorded incorrectly through the FMCSA DataQs process, and a successful challenge can correct or remove it. Legitimate violations cannot be removed on request, but their SMS weight decreases over time until they age off.

Sources & Regulatory References

- [FMCSA - Safety Measurement System (SMS) ↗](https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/Measure)

- [FMCSA - Safety Measurement System (CSA) ↗](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/carrier-safety/safety-measurement-system-sms)

- [FMCSA - Hours of Service Regulations ↗](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service)

- [49 CFR Part 395 - Hours of Service of Drivers ↗](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-395)

**Free checklist:** the Daily Logbook Audit Checklist. No catch.

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